23XI Racing has confirmed its expansion plans for the 2025 season, announcing the addition of Riley Herbst to its driver lineup.
Herbst, a seasoned Xfinity Series driver with three wins in 175 starts, will join Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace at 23XI Racing next year. Having raced full-time for Stewart-Haas Racing for the past four seasons, Herbst brings valuable experience to the team.
The decision to expand to three cars has been in the works for 23XI Racing, although uncertainties arose due to an ongoing lawsuit against NASCAR. The team, along with Front Row Motorsports, filed an anti-trust lawsuit against NASCAR regarding the franchising agreement, citing monopolistic business practices.
Recent developments have seen NASCAR amend its participation terms, allowing both 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports to compete as open teams in 2025 if the lawsuit is not successful or if they have not signed the charter agreement by the 2025 Daytona 500. Open teams do not have guaranteed starting berths in Cup Series races and receive a reduced share of purse money.
Front Row Motorsports is also set to expand to three cars next season, with both teams initially planning to acquire charters from the now-defunct Stewart-Haas Racing. However, the outcome of the charter purchases remains uncertain due to the ongoing legal dispute.
Herbst’s success in 2024, including two wins and a career-best seventh in the points standings, has solidified his position as a competitive driver. Notably, he secured his first career win in 2023 in his hometown of Las Vegas.
Sponsored by Monster Energy for the majority of his career, Herbst will continue to carry the energy drink brand’s support into the Cup Series. Monster Energy has been a prominent sponsor for Herbst, as well as Reddick and Ty Gibbs in 2024.